Midnight Flames and Revelations
by Shadow of Dark Souls
Summary: The story of the woman behind Brother's tattoos.


The league season was about to start in Luca, and the city was alive with excitement. The sun was shining warmly, illuminating the numerous buildings, crowds of people bustling about, and of course, the revered blitzball stadium. Brother strolled leisurely through the busy streets, amazed by how perfect his life was at that moment in time.

Being a blitzball player, a good one at that, automatically made him a celebrity. People looked up to him with the utmost respect, completely disregarding his supposedly traitorous Al Bhed origins. Girls flocked around him, squealing when he so much as threw a smile their way. Everyone went out of their way to do things for him, whether it was giving him a discount or pulling out his chair. And he enjoyed every minute of it.

The rest of the Al Bhed Psyches were equally treated, but none had Brother's charm or flair when it came to catching women. Walking around shirtless didn't hurt, but he could have any woman he wanted, whenever he wanted. He had always been a popular boy, so it was just a matter of using his looks and cultivating his natural masculinity…or so he told himself. Whatever the reason being, he was a gifted flirt and he never passed up an opportunity to seduce.

Stopping at an empty bench in central Luca, Brother sat down and leaned back as he observed the people passing by, winking occasionally at cute girls. Kids skipped by with blitzball team names printed across their shirt. Merchants waved blitzball souvenirs at groups of eager fans. Women flitted around, desperate to grab the attention of famous players. The men were just as bad. Brother couldn't help but chuckle as he watched a guy get slammed by Doram from the Luca Goers. She gave him a haughty look and laughed in his face. "In your dreams, Ugly." Teammate Balgerda, on the other hand, was sitting outside a coffee shop, chatting and giggling along with two teenage boys. Needless to say, some players were more arrogant than others.

Suddenly, Brother found his gaze focused on a young woman browsing for jewelry just across the walkway. She had the attire of a blitzer – from Kilika, he guessed from the green color - but he had never seen her in games before. And he was never one to forget a pretty face. Long brown hair, delicate nose, pink lips, she was definitely a beauty. Craning his head for a better look, he saw her pick up a small bracelet. It was brown and plain, save for a little blue gem in the center – not worth much, he was sure. Nonetheless, she smiled and ran her finger gently over the design before setting it back down. He would never understand why women enjoyed window shopping – what was the point if you weren't going to buy anything? And yet he found himself oddly entranced by her facial expression, a memory stirring its way to the surface of his consciousness.

Shaking his head at that previous thought, he watched amusedly as she turned and walked away. Just before she blended in with the crowd, he jumped up, noticing a blue band around her arm. He could swear it was a ring of blue fire tattooed on her skin, but she disappeared before he could be certain.

"Hey, Brother! Yo! Over here, man!"

Brother's vision began to wobble for some unknown reason before he noticed Berrik shaking his arm.

"Dude, you were zoned for a second there. Thinking about ladies again?"

He shook his head slowly, still trying to figure out what exactly was on that woman's arm. That combined with the look on her face…

"I think…I just saw…Ah, nevermind."

"That's a pathetic explanation. C'mon, who were you thinking about?"

"…Do you remember Lina?"

Berrick's grin suddenly dropped as he looked at Brother with crinkled eyebrows. He answered carefully.

"Lina? Of course. How could I not? Why the sudden memory?"

"I feel like I just saw her walking by."

"Impossible. Even if she were alive, you have no idea what she looks like."

"True, but…"

Berrick firmly gripped his friend's shoulder.

"You have to let her go, Brother. It's been six years." Suddenly losing his serious tone, Berrick put on a large and goofy grin. "You have all these fabulous women in Luca, but can't let go of a girl from your childhood? Lame, Brother. Just lame."

Berrick winced from a stinging clap on his back.

"Ah, you're right. Let's see what kind of sirens we can hook at the bar, eh?"

Oh yeah, there were plenty of hot girls at the bar. Everywhere you turned, there were flashes of bare skin: smooth thighs, bare stomachs, and of course, jiggling breasts. The smell of perfume and beer hung heavily in the air, and most of the men were intoxicated from both. Berrick certainly was – he was sitting between two busty brunettes in a corner booth, sloppily kissing one while the other did you-know-what between his legs under the table.

Free of his eager companion, Brother sat by himself at the counter. He didn't feel like his womanizing self, so there weren't the usual amount of girls drooling around him. The ones that did approach him didn't stay long – his distant mood was a downer. He sipped at his vodka half-heartedly as he leaned on his elbow, mind occupied with his past.

_It was brisk and dark out on the deck. A small group of people were huddled together on the port side of the Al Bhed's scavenger ship: Cid was the only adult, the rest were children aged 11 and 12. Brother looked at his two best friends, eager to jump in the water. Berrick was jumping up and down with impatience, barely able to contain his excitement. Lina was more composed, her anxiety showing only in her vibrant green eyes. They had been on many dives already, but this was the first time that they would be allowed to freely explore on their own._

_Lina flashed Brother a smile. Though it was small, he found the curve of her lips to be contagious. Her cheeks dimpled ever so slightly by the corners of her mouth, making her impossibly cute. He beamed at her, earning a sweet giggle in return._

_When Cid finished his customary speech on items to lookout for, safety, and whatnot, the three were the first to plunge into the cool waters. They were powerful swimmers, quickly distancing themselves from the rest of the kids. Reaching the relatively shallow bottom, they began maneuvering their ways through giant rocks, collecting pieces of old machina and other objects of intrigue – basically anything shiny qualified as 'having worth'. They smiled brightly at each other, almost laughing, as they waved the small trinkets they found. _

_Brother noticed a cluster of light-reflecting objects farther off and waved at the other two to follow him. Berrick grinned and immediately paddled over. Lina looked back at the rest of the divers, noting how far the three had drifted away. They had been so caught up in searching the ocean floor that they didn't notice how far they had travelled. Brother beckoned her impatiently, the look in his eyes saying _"If you're not coming, we're leaving you here!"_ Lina took one last look over her shoulder before hesitantly joining them._

_The two boys nearly danced in the water as they swam, hands and faces animated with excitement for what could possibly be awaiting them in the pile of treasure ahead. Suddenly, Lina grabbed both of their arms in a vicegrip and yanked them backwards. They threw her angry looks before turning to see what caused her pupils to shrink in fear. _

_A lobster-like fiend was rapidly approaching them – apparently they weren't the only ones who liked shiny objects. It wasn't particularly large, but it was definitely powerful enough to shred them to pieces with its pointed legs and claws. They bolted away as fast as they knew how, churning rapidly through the current. The fiend was gaining, pulling the water towards itself, and the three children as well. _

_Brother swam furiously, eyes glued to the large exploration boat that was his only hope of salvation. They had been trained for this – they were _never_ to outmaneuver or chase away ocean fiends. They only option was to beeline for the dark steel hull, for the sheer size and bulk of the watercraft scared away most predators. _

_They were halfway there already and he saw the other divers swimming frantically to the surface. He looked over to make sure that the other two were keeping pace…and only saw Berrick. Without further thought, he stopped and urgently turned around. Lina had stayed behind, weaving skillfully through the legs of the fiend, effectively providing a decoy for the two to escape. No wonder it had gotten easier to swim against the tide…_

_Brother's only thought was to save her. If it was someone, _anyone_, other than her or Berrick, he would leave them and flee for his life. But it was Lina, the girl he had grown up with. The one who he did everything with. The one who understood him best. Even though they were only pre-teens, the two, along with Berrick, had formed life-long bonds. Ignoring the voice of reason, Brother propelled himself back toward the crustacean monster._

_Before he got anywhere, Berrick slammed into him full-force, pushing him toward the boat. Brother tried to fight him off, kicking and flailing in Berrick's iron hold. _

_He watched, numb, as Lina did the inevitable - erring in her path. An ugly, barbed leg caught her straight in the chest, raking a bloody gash down her front. _

_Shafts of light penetrated through the ocean surface, illuminating the previously gray waters. Lina was sinking impossibly slowly, as if descending on a pair of angel wings. But the angel was lifeless, ribbons of crimson blood streaming freely from her body, tainting the water around her. _

_Bubbles erupted around Brother, as his mouth opened in a soundless scream as he made one last effort to break free. Berrick forced him to the boat, his face set in grim determination. The fiend nudged Lina's body towards its home, no doubt to devour her or add her to its collection. The two were hauled upwards by Cid, who immediately checked their bodies for any open wounds._

_Tears flowed silently down his face, yet Brother remained motionless, paralyzed by what he had just experienced, empty with the realization that Lina was gone. Just like that. Cid gripped him by the shoulders, offering him the most comforting and sympathetic gaze that he knew how._

"You wouldn't have made it otherwise, Son."

_Brother turned ever so slowly to look at Berrick, feeling his neck muscles resist the movement, shuddering with every centimeter he moved his head. Berrick was just as teary, his eyes and mouth wide with disbelief, now that his adrenaline had been drained. _

_Cid turned away and found himself held back by weak hands._

"Go back…"

"We can't."

"Why?"

"She's gone, Brother. I'm sorry."

"No she's not! She's not! Don't say that! Go back! Go back go ba-"

_He fell to the ground choking and sobbing, pounding his fists against the wood until they were raw. Berrick was silent and despondent, staring blankly off into the distance._

_The duo was left to themselves on deck as Cid gently herded the other children away. They sat in the same spots, processing the gruesome images as the sun rose and fell above their heads. _

_Brother felt dread and guilt creeping up on him steadily, taking control of his hands and feet before spreading like an infection to the rest of his body and his core, rendering him immobile. After all, wasn't he the one who wanted to explore? Wasn't he the one who convinced them to stray into dangerous territory? Wasn't he the reason that Lina would never smile again?_

Brother would never forget that moment, the one nightmare that repeated itself indefinitely in his mind. It had happened only six years ago, but he had never moved on. He had immersed himself fully in blitzball as an escape, practicing for hours on end in the sphere until his whole body shriveled like a giant prune. He was naturally skilled and soon surpassed all the other players. But instead of playing to enjoy himself, he played to run away. He was an impossibly difficult teammate and arrogant to boot. However, he had to be given a spot on the team – how could they turn away such a gifted player?

But he never acknowledged the game. It was simply a way for him to release his frustration, to work out the odd tumult of emotions lodged in his heart. For no one understood what it meant to lose her. Not even Berrick. Lina was, to be cliché…special.

He was jealous of Berrick, who went through the proper grieving process. Berrick was distant and quiet for a few months but gradually opened up again – even got himself a girlfriend. That didn't last too long; Berrick gained a greater appreciation for the physical rather than the emotional, and he's flown solo ever since.

Brother is a womanizer as well, but the habit came about in a different way. Lina was constantly on his mind and he was not able to do anything to shake it. It just so happened that he was at a bar one night, swallowing shots of alcohol along with his pain when a dancer approached him. She was all skin and curves and the way she moved against him was foreign and unwanted. But he was a man after all, and he couldn't help the bulge that grew in his pants – she was practically riding him, only they had their clothes on.

He drunkenly followed her into a private room, watching uninterestedly as she stripped down. When she pressed herself against him, he gave in to the buzz in his mind and the need between his legs. It wasn't anything special at all, really – he flipped her over and thrust once, twice, and came inside her. She slapped him with unbelievable strength and stormed off, leaving Brother to ponder his revelation.

For a moment…a miniscule and unmemorable moment, he had escaped. He had reached a state of pure removal from everything, lost only in the rawest act of human nature. The release was certainly pleasurable, but what he really needed was the body-consuming act of having an orgasm. That one moment was sweet and blissful, free from every negative sensation he constantly harbored.

And that's when he started really putting his looks to good use. Girls had approached him before, and a few signature looks and lines made them practically line up for him. He learned quickly how to please - a touch here, a nip there, some masterful tongue swirling, and he could have any woman screaming his name in ecstasy.

At first, he felt ashamed of the way he was using women, but the feeling eventually faded. Unlike the guilt he still harbored over Lina's incident. Sex was the best solution to his problems – it was fun and healthy and more addicting than anything he had ever known. He needed women like a drug, knowing that he would never survive continuous nights alone with his haunting thoughts and memories.

A woman was approaching him now, hips swaying sensually beneath a tight black dress, breasts bouncing slowly across her chest. One whiff of her perfume, as heavy as it was, was all it took for him to start working his magic. A hand just beneath her waistline – not inappropriate, but unquestionably suggestive, one hand on her ribcage – perfectly placed to make her body aware of his presence, and he had her practically dragging him into the back.

Just before the bar disappeared from his vision, he thought he saw the girl from the marketplace – he remembered pretty faces, right? He noted that it was indeed blue fire around her upper arm before closing his eyes to focus on the woman in his arms and that one moment that made it all worth it.

There were two weeks before the first league game, so it was practice, practice, practice until then. Something Brother was very accustomed to. As time passed and he grew accustomed to sleeping around, he became a more amiable player. He began actually enjoying blitzball and found it easier to focus on his teammates rather than himself. He graduated from defender to midfielder and positively thrived in the position.

The Psyches were at a practice sphere now, passing the ball all the way across the field to each other as a warm down. If there was anything they were good at, it was technique – they were the most skilled team in the league. They completed all their passes, worked perfectly together on their blocks, and Nimrook practically caught everything thrown his way. They were incredibly solid and won most of their games. The only ones they lost were against the Aurochs – that new Tidus kid was one hell of a good shot when he got the ball. Naturally, Nimrook hated that he could score against him, but had to respect his talent.

Brother was the last to leave the sphere, toweling his body dry with one hand. The Beasts were just walking in and his eye caught on that girl. Without thought, he reached out to tap her shoulder.

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

Deim and Kulukan looked at Brother, then each other, and giggled before leaving the girl on her own.

She turned slowly towards him, eyes blinking slowly in question. He scrutinized her face carefully, noting especially that her eyes were a brownish hazel. Dark hair too…she couldn't be an Al Bhed. But he had to be sure.

"…Lina?"

The corners of her lips lifted slightly in acknowledgment and Brother could only stare at her with his mouth slightly open.

"Lina…? Lina…?

His teammates snuck up on him and snatched him under the shoulders.

"Alright, it's too early for you to be going after women. Save that for after we eat."

Brother didn't hear them, images and memories of Lina flashing vibrantly in his vision. He couldn't tell if his heart was beating at an immeasurable speed or if it had stopped completely. The possibility that she was still alive shocked him into an immobile daze, limbs frozen as he allowed himself to reflect.

In over six years, this was the first time he would removed the wall he had so carefully constructed around his inner being. Behind it la a tumult of emotions he had long ago hidden away: hope, joy, and dare he say…affection? As these thoughts whirled in his mind, he threw off his friends harder than he intended, repeating her name. They all gave him fearful and quizzical looks.

"Brother…let it go."

Berrick looked at him sternly, blocking his path. His eyes were hard, like that of a father disciplining his son, but they held a soft understanding of Brother's disposition. Not caring, Brother quickly shoved him to the side before running down the now empty hallway, chasing a wisp of a memory: a bright-eyed girl that had lit up his life as brilliantly as the sun.

He turned corners, eyes frantically searching for the hazel-eyed girl. He finally spotted her heading towards the locker room and sprinted wildly towards her.

He grabbed her wrist in desperation, and spun her around to face him. He was panting from adrenaline, chest heaving slightly with exertion and eyes gazing fiercely into hers. She couldn't be…could she?

Still in his stupor, he watched, frozen, as she slowly lifted a hand to his face. Her face held a look of wonder as she ran three smooth fingers over his forehead. She left a cool trail down the right side of his face, her thumb gently extending across his cheek in a butterfly caress.

She tilted her head slowly as her fingers explored, mouth falling slightly open before she touched her lips together in a wistful smile. Brother could feel her breath against his lips, leaving them humming and tingling.

Her hand traced its way down his jaw line and lingered there.

"You've grown…Brother."

With one last curve of her lips, she disappeared behind the door.


End file.
